So you should understand that the Truth is simple and you should cherish it. The more you cherish it, the more you understand it. The more you believe in my real Nature, the more you find your own real Nature within. You can never realize your own real Nature if you don't believe in an enlightened Master. If I'm not an enlightened Master, who is? None of you here can realize your own real Nature. Because you come to learn from me, if even I'm not an enlightened Master, who is? When can you realize your own real Self? Thus, the more we respect the Truth, the more quickly we find it and the more deeply we understand it. The more we believe in the enlightened Master who teaches us the Truth, the more quickly we find our own real Nature within. The more people we help to step onto the spiritual path, the more merit we obtain. So, I say," A spiritual practitioner has no merit if he only practices in mountain caves, because he doesn't benefit others." We receive wisdom from God but we don't make use of it to help others. So we say it's OK to practice spiritually as either a layperson or a renunciate. It's only best if we practice hard and truly want to benefit sentient beings - it doesn't matter if we've attained Sainthood or not. If we have good intentions, we'll become a fully enlightened Being, who looks like an ordinary person. As long as we fully realize our own real Self, we become a fully enlightened Being.

We should not be too serious about spiritual practice, but regard it as something interesting. Seriousness is something inside and is an eagerness to become an enlightened Being, which we all know, but should not show outwardly on purpose, as in dressing specially or displaying oneself solemnly, saying, "I'm practicing spiritually and care nothing! I must achieve sainthood. Everyone, leave me alone!" We should not behave like that. We should be natural.

Diligent practitioners are those who do not forget the "Truth" at any time, who really want to know their true Selves, and who really want to be liberated from life and death. They think about these things even at work. It doesn't necessarily mean they're reciting the Holy Names all the time. It's OK if they occasionally forget, but they truly want to be liberated inside and they think of everything related to spiritual practice, such as the Master, the Quan Yin Method, and the group of fellow initiates. They only want to become wise, enlightened people. These people are the diligent practitioners or those who are always in Zen.

Spiritual practice doesn't mean meditating all day long. If you're distracted during meditation, it's no use. Beginners concentrate more easily when they sit for meditation. Say if we stroll around and look at things we encounter and our attention goes outside, we forget to be concentrated. Therefore, when we begin to practice, we had better sit longer and be more concentrated. Then, afterwards, when we go anywhere else, we'll be concentrated inside at any time. At that time, even when we're not sitting, we won't be distracted. It's the same when we're working.

I've told you clearly that you can rely on each other among our fellow initiates, instead of relying on ephemeral worldly relationships, especially with those who aren't initiated. When it's time to leave this world, they'll go their own way, and we'll follow Master and the initiates. You shouldn't rely on those who cannot go with you at the time of departure. That's why we say, "Be one with the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha." The Buddha means the living Masters, the Dharma means the precious Quan Yin Method, and the Sangha refers to the whole group of our fellow practitioners. Sangha doesn't mean saints. It means "a group who seeks the Truth," "a group knowing the Truth." We should rely on them because they are our eternal friends.

Don't spoil yourselves too much; don't give others excuses to pity you. It's useless! There are many miserable people in this world. You're the most fortunate! Your life is comfortable enough! You have a living Master and the Quan Yin Method, and you're destined to be liberated in several years or an even a shorter time. But those people who don't practice the Quan Yin Method have to reincarnate again and again, and suffer a lot.

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